SDP welcomes move to give fair consideration for locals

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) has welcomed the Government's move to give locals fair consideration in jobs, but pointed to how it has also championed Singaporean workers' rights for over a decade and made similar policy proposals.

This shows that the SDP has been a "constructive and competent" party, SDP secretary-general Chee Soon Juan added in a media statement on Monday.

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) announced earlier in the day that companies must attempt to find Singaporeans to fill a position before they are allowed to hire foreigners.

From August next year, firms with more than 25 employees must advertise any vacancy for professional or managerial jobs paying less than $12,000 a month on a government-run jobs bank, with the position being open to Singaporeans.

Only after advertising for 14 days can the company apply to bring in a foreign national.

In its press statement, the SDP pointed to similarities between this requirement, and a suggestion in a population policy paper it had prepared.

The party also referred to its "Singaporeans First Policy", which it had championed in the 2001 General Election. This stated that foreign workers should only be allowed into Singapore if no locals were available for the job.

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